Signaling device for racing-coasters.



awww@ AGH? LA MARCUS THOMPSON:

SIGNALNG DVICE FOR AEPLXGAMON FILED mm1, 191s.

Kle

-view Jfrom the highway,

terest ot passers-by,

sfrafriis PATENT oFFioE.

LA, MARCUS fi.. THOMPSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSXGNOR E THE L. A. THOMPSON SCENG RAILVJAY COMPANY, DE NEW YORK, N.- Y., A CORPORATION OF NEW v JERSEY.

i ,flossen SIGNALING: DEVICE FOR RACNG-COAKSTERS.

Patented July 7, 1914.

Application tiled November 1, 1913. Serial No. 798,660.

To all wlmi/i it may conce/m.'

Be it known that l., LA Maliens A.' 'l`uoni son, a citizen of the United States, residing at New York city, county of New `York, and Stateof New York, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Signaling Devices i'or Racing-Coasters, oi' which the following is a i'ull, clear, and exact description, reference being had to the :nfcompanying drawings, which form a part oi this specification.

My invention relates to that type of pleasure railways known as racing coasters, in which two tracks, arranged in parallel relation. throughout the greater part of their course, are erected on an elevated framework, said pair of tracks extending back and forth a plurality of times to form elongated -loops' at` different levels, the starting point or loading station, as well as the iinishing point or unloading station, being located more or less near one end of the structure adjacent to. the highway or esplanade. ln these railways the cars onthe two t'acks are simultaneously elera ted from the starting point, which is near the level of the street, up a steeply inclined plane, to the highest point' of the course, whence tin` cars travel by gravity throughout the course to the l'inishing point. In pleasure railways or this type the two tracks arc ot substantially the same length, and as' nearly as possible the conditions on the two tracks are equalizeil, and the races are theretore invariably close and productive of much excitement. .A pleasure railway oi' this type is the subject matter of a paten't issued tome August 12, 1913, No. 1,070,082. (hie of the characteristic features of this patented railway is that both the unloading .et ation and the loading station are brought close to the entrance to the pavilion, in full one being located above the other, whereby the features of. maximum interest are forced upon the notice ot people passing along the street.

hij; present invention is more especially intended 'for application to the racing coaster patented by inc but it isalso appli-l cable to practically any construction ot raoing coaster. The object oi the invention, generally speaking. is to add to the excitement and enjoyment ot the riders and also to arouse and eiihance thc curiosity and in-,

with the idea of in- `are denoted by the creasing the patronage of the railwayHJoth by inducing riders to repeat their ride and by attracting many of the general public who would otherwise not be inclined to ride.

More specifically the object of my invention is to auton'iatically announce, by appropriate signaling devices, the starting of the race and the winning car. Preferably the signals are so located that they may be observed by the riders, 'by those `within the inclosure who are awaiting embarkation, and by the people passing along the highway, thereby arousing the interest and curiosity ot the public and increasing the pleasure and excitement of the riders. As before stated, the races are invariably close, and where the loads on the two cars are approximately equal, the two cars finish at so nearly the saine point that it is often difli-' cult, and sometimes impossible, to determine with certainty the winning car. Another advantage, therefore, of the invention is to automatically determine the winning car, the arrangement being preferably such that the end of the racing course will be some distance before the unloading station is reached, in order that the riders may be apprised ot the winner just before they actually reach the unloading point; the signal being preferably maintained in view until just before. the cars reach, orjust after they leave the unloading station.

In order that the invention may be fully understood, I have shown preferred embodiments of lily-invention in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a plan view of the front por-` tion of a pleasure railway showing the preferred location of the signals. Fig. 2 is a front (or rear) view of the signals and certain of the actuating mechanism therefor, some of the latter, as well as the tracks, loeing illustrated diagrammatically. Fig. Surg; n

a i'ront (or rear) view of a modiied erf maling device, in which the signal announcing the winning car is operated wholly electrically. Fig. tis a view, mainly diagrammatic, showing the means for actuating the winning car signal of Fig. 3.

The pavilion `fronts upon thev highway, and within the pavilion, and extending'back of the saine to an indefinite distance, is the framework supporting the two tracks, which numerals l0 and Q0.

These tracks are each provided with two roo termini connected by a switch track or connecting track. y

11 and 21 indicate the starting termini of the two tracks and 13 and 23 indicate vUi'e'end termini of the two tracks,- a cash fare collect4 ing station being located at the end termini.

lll and 24 are the connecting tracks above mentioned.

l The loading station is located at the startipg stretch il, 21, of the course. This station comprises the platforms a and a.

The unloading station, comprising the platforms D and b', -is located comparatively near the end termini of the course, along the stretches 12, 22. preferably at the front of the pavilion adjacent to the highway, the loading station being preferably located also close to the highway and below the un` loading` station. As the tracks approach the unloading station from the rear, they diverge, one track l0, branching to the left (from the standpoint of travel of the car) and thence to the right and describing a loop terminating at the end terminus 13) at about the center of which the stretch 1Q is located; while the other track, Q0, branches to the left and thence to the right,I describing a loop (terminating at the end'terminus 23) at about the center of which the stretch 22 is located. The two cars, after being loaded at the loadingstation a, o', are sinmltavneously elevated from the starting stretches 11 and 21, to the highest point ot' lthe.course, whence the cars are-simultaneously released and the race begins. The end of the racing course proper should be located some distance back ,of the unloading station L. lt is desirable, beloie reaching the loading station, to apply brakes either automatically or by an operator riding on the car, so as to bring the car to a p' "adual stop.v It is tlicrefoiey,A leisii'able to( end the race 7 at or beforeftlb point is reached' where gravity and momentum cease to con? trol. the speed of the icar. ln- Fig. 1 I have designated the finishing point on track 10 as d' and the finishingr point on the track 20 as c; these points being located in the loops merging` intothe end termini 13 and 23 and back. of the iunloading station, although it'will be understood that they may be differently located provided they are equi-distant from the starting point of the Vvhilc I have shown and.` described a racing coaster constructed in laccordance with my said patent, Yl do this lmerely in order that the application {of thei invention toa racing coaster may be"clearlyiunderstood, as it will be clear, from the description hereinafter set forth, that the invention is also capable of embodiment in racing coasters not .constructed in accordance with said patent.

y In carrying out my invention, I prefer to have one set of cars run always on one track and another set always on another track and to distinguish the two sets of cars by giving them different predominating colors. For example, the predominating color on one car may be red, while t-he predominating color on the other car may be blue. yIn Fig. l I have shown a red vcar, marked R, on track 10, and a blue i car, marked B, on track 20, car B being shown as having just reached the finishing 'point,while car R is shown as not having quite arrived thereat, the blue car being therefore the winner of the "racef7 The employment of some such simple means to readily distinguish the two competing cars is very desirable, as it ,facilitates the interpretation of the si `anais, as will be understood as the description proceeds. It is also desirable that, as indicated, a car starting from one starting terminus, 11 or 2l, should ultimately return to the same terminus, so as to keep the entire set of red cars always on one track and lthe-entire set ol" blue cars always on the other track. But the constructor may so arrange. the course as to cause, a car leaving terminus 1l to arrive, ready for the n ext trip, at'terminus 21, while a car leaving terminus :2l will arrive ready for'the next trip, at terminus 1l, this being explained in mysaid patent. l

At the front of the pavilion I locate a combination signal 2, shown ldia framatically in Fig'. 1. ln Fig. 2 this signal is mounted on a post fand comprises a bell or gong g, and beneath it a casing` L having a transpar# ent dial z' and a pointer j pivoted centrally ofthe dial. The casing' is divided by a central partition into an upper and lower chamber, the upper chamber containing an elec-` tric lamp m, of, say, red glass and another elect] ii f lamp n of, say, blue glass. On the lower half of the dial is printed the words 'l`liey"re`-o'lii or some dierently worded ainuuincement of the same' import, and within the lower chamber is a lamp 7c. The signal z contains a dial, pointer and announcement, as described, on both its front and rear sides, so that the same information may be simultaneously impar ed to those within the track inclosure and t e passers-by on the esplanade in front'of the track inclosure.

The signals are operated ,in the following. manner. At a convenient'point in the travel of the cars, preferably a few feet beyond the starting point, the bell or gong g is sounded, and either at the same time, or

preferably immediately thereafter, the lamp off is illuminated, whereby practically every one in the vicinity is apprised that v a race is started, the current to the lamp 'being opened as soon as the cars are fairly under wey. At the conclusion of the rece,

one side or the other indicating that the rece is won hy e co1' of the color corresponding'to the color with which the ointer registers. The pointer remains in tiis position :is long,` ns may be desired, soy' until zitter the eers are unloaded and pass a short distance beyond the loading station.

The electrical and inechanicel instrumentzilities hy Which the lcomposite signal 'e is operated will now he described. is e generator or other souroe of current supply. 230 and 3l are z peil' of Solcnoifls or electronnignets having; i common core 32 carrying n puir of switch blades 33, adapted to close respectively two poire of contacts 35 und 36. @ne rs1-il of one o the tracks, eey the tre-ck 20', is broken or ineuiatecl at sow eral points to Form the seperate active sections i", e and t, The section fr is located :i feuY feet in advance olii the storting point. llihcn the car running on track 20 reaches. thesection fr, current passes 'from the generator M as followe: through Wires 40, 4l and to the hell or gong g, thence through wire 43 to section 7' of track 20, through the car to the other mil of track 20, :incl through wires 441 and 45 heck to the generator. Thus the gong g is operated. When the car passes from section r to section s, the following circuit i5 established; rorn generator, through wires 4G, 4l, 46 and Il?, to the solenoid 30, thence through wire @t8 to eection s, thence through the car to the other rail -ot track 20, and, thence through tions and 45 to the generator. The Sole noid 30, beingl thus energized, the core 32 is operated to cause the su itch blz-ide 33 to connect the two cont-nete 35 enel the switch blade 3e to connect the two contacts 3G. The" following circuit is thereby estah-iishecl: from generator M through wires 4G, 4l, LHS,

.5G and 49, switch 33 and Awire 5l, to the lmnp 7.1, and thence, through Wire 52, switch $34-, und Wires 53 and e5 to the generator, there hy illuniinziting` the lower half ot the dial. "he lower half of the dial may remain illuminated for long; e time es is desired. Kit the point in the course where it is; clesii'etl to hreeh the circuit to the lamp 7c,

the section le formed. When the ce1' on. track 2O reaches thie Section, 'the following circuit is established: from the generator, through wiree e0, 4l, 46, 50 and 54C to the .eolcnoil 3l, thence through Wire 55 'to section i5, thence through the cer, the other rail or' truck 20, and wires t4 enti die, to the erutoi. T he en .iqizing ot eolenoicl Bl dra ws flown the core of? solenoid 30, opening the switches 33 end 34, and breaking the cirenit to lmnp 7:. y

The solenoifls 30, Si. are providel ywith keepers or circuit breakers 37, :38, which are Hection oi aepted to he engaged by ii-riie erteneions oft the Solenoid core und moved to loi-eelt the circuit through the solenoi l thc storting eignoleore inoperative, the sole noicl core is in poesition. to breek the circuit through solenoid 3L hitter the solenoid 30 is energized to close the switchen 32S and 134-, the circuit is broken through solenoid 3G. After the solenoid El energized to open the Switchee 33 and. 34-, the circuit is broken through solenoid 3l, unil remains brokefn after the cur on 'truck '20 passes heyond section t.

itl the' liniehing point oi euch track l0 and '20, where, upon arrival the cur, it ie desired to operate the pointer j, ie provided :i Section if.; :it the point on euch triicli, beyond the linishing' point, where, upon an rival 'of the cnr, it de 'red to return the pointer j to its central positioinis provide-tl a section o: heee Section5 heing Similar to sections 7*, .9 und t. 'to they pivotecl entib of the pointer nre attached :irnis 6G, ('Okconn nected respectively hy rode (il, Sl, with' e centrali),r pivoted lever G2, normally held in zi horizont-(il position hy springe (i9, 59, The lever 62 carries contacts (53, i3, normally contacting with two contact plates 634-, 64, on opposite sides of the leveris center. rlhe opposite ends ol* the .lever (SQ :ire connected to the cores ot two Solcnoirlr; (35, l. erich oi? u'hichezirries n catch 36 adapted, 'when the solenohi energized, to he drawn town the core and to he engngcii by e, hitch (i7 pivotcd in the interior of the poet :incl con-- nectecl with the core ol." :i solenoid (38.

Assuming that 'the 1iflue cer oi? u parir ot racing cnrs ii'st reaches: the inishing point und rides; upon' the section n of truck' 20, 'the following circuit cloeeil: fron'x the genen utoi' through the 'wire-5 fl() and Tuto the left hond solenoid "55, thence to left henri contzi'cts 63 :incl Fili, thence through Wire 'il to truck 20, thencek through the cui' :ind the other unil ol ti'iuli Q0, unil thence through wiresflfl; :ind 'to the generator. 'the energizing; of the solenoid "causeeits core to pull down the lett hzunl eide of lever (h2 ond the left hand rofl nl, thus swinging the pointer to the left und pointing it to the blue lightnnrl therehy indicating the col i' oi the winning; cui'. "lhe downward nirwcinent of the core is limited by zi, stop 8O thereon; but just heiore it. rem-,hee its lower lilnit of movei'ncnt'the coi-responding catch (36 engages the hitch (ST of the lett hiuiuieole noni 68., thus holding' flown the core of sole unid. G53 ncl n'mintuininej 'the pointer i in ini'licating ponition zitter thc' :riti-,il extension oli' theI core of solenoid M has nctuetefl the circuit hrceher 9] :mil oignenefl 'therircnit through solenoid '(35, When "f: hir reaches ,the mi "tion, n the 'teli cetnniis .edi foin the l (1 ,Y wire Y() to left limiti holen-oid 36%,

hue, when 'with v through wire 72 to section c, thence through the car and the other rail of track 20, and thence through wires -ll and Ll5 to the gen-' erator. The energizing of solenoid 68 e causes its core to vmove thelatch 67 to unreaches the finishing point, the operation is the sanie, except'that the circuit is closed through the right hand solenoid G5 Wire 73 and track l0, thereby causing the pointer j to swing toward the right and point. to the blue lamp. The release of the core .of the right hand solenoid (l5 is efected `through the right hand solenoid G8, the circuit being closed through Wire 7l and track 10, Where- 4'upon the pointer y' is restored to normal po'; sition.l

In higs. 3 and 4 I have shown a simplified signaling apparatus, comprising a post 79 on which is mounted a gong 80, a trans a'rent startinf-anncuncinfr siOn 81 contain ing a lamp 82 and a transparent globe 8?l containing a blue-glass lamp 84 and a red glass lamp 85. 0n the globe 83 is printed` ""Winning color or words similar thereto. The c1rcu1t`is opened and closed through the gong 80 and the lamp S2 by the means shown 1n Fig. 2 for controlling the circuits to the gong g and the lamp 7u. The circuits to the lamps 84 and 85 are controlledas follows: One rail of the track 10 is broken or insu- .40' lated at two points to form a. section A similar section y is :formedv in thetrack 20.

..-A pair oflevers 8G, 87, are pivoted at a conrff mon point and contact at one end with fixed contacts'88 and 89 respectively,- and at the "15 other end are connected respectively to the coresof solenoids 90 and 91. 92 is a spring normally holding both levers 86 and 87.

against stops 93, 93. If a red ear R first reaches section :r (the beginning of which is 50, located at the nishing point), a circuit is closed through generator M, Wire 94, car R, Wire 95, solenoid 90, Wire 9G, red lamp 85, wire 97, lcontact 89, the upper half of lever' 87 and Wire 98 to the generator. This illuminates the interior of the globe with a red light. No current can pass through the solenoid 91 When the blue car B reaches section y, because the energizing of solenoid 90 swings the lever 86 out of contact with the contact 88, thus opening the circuit *that would otherwise be closed by thewcar` B. The circuit remains closed through the lamp 85 until the car R passes beyond the sec-` tion ai." If a blue car B first reaches the fin? ishing point, a circuit -is closed through the interior of the globe with a blue light. No

current can pass through ,the solenoid 90 when car R reaches section the energizing of solenoid 91 having swung the-lever 87 out of contact with the contact 89. The circuit remain's closed through the lamp 84 until the car l?. passes beyond the section .17. fWhen no cars are on the course along which Sections :c and y are located,- no current can pass through either lamp 8st or 85, the globe 83 is unilluininated, and the spring 92 holds both levers 86 and 87 against the stops 93, 93 and in position to enable either the circuit through lamp 84- or the circuit through lamp 85 to be closedV dependent upon which` circuit is closed by the first car to reach the tinishing stretch.

Having now fully dcscribedmy invention what l claim and desire to protect by Letters Patentis:

l. In a racing coaster, the eolnbinatimi nl'ith a` pair of tracks providing a. course on' winning car, means controlled by cars pass- 4 ing one point in the course to actuate the starting signal, and means controlled by either car, upon its arrival ahead of a competing car at another point in the course, to actuate the announcing signal to announce its arrival, the last named inoans including means adapted to render the other car inoperative to effect the actuation of. the announcing signal. i Q. In a racing coaster, 'the combination with a pair of tracksy providing a course on which cars are adapted to race, of signaling means for announcing the winning car, electric circuits controlling the signaling means and respectively adapted to cause the signaling means to announce the respective cars, means controlled hy the cars on the two tracks to govern the passage of current through the respective circuits, and means vcontrolled by each circuit to render the other circuit inoperative to control the signaling means. 7

3. ln a racing coaster, the combination with va pair of tracks providing a'oourse on which cars are adapted to race, of signaling ineans to announce the Winningcar, means controlled by ,either car, upon its arrival ahead of a competing car at a given point in the course, adapted to actuatev the signaling .means to announce its arrival and to render the other car inoperative to effect the announcement of its own arrival at said point.-

` 4. 'ln a racing coaster, the combina-tion with a pair of tracks providing a course on which cars are adapted to race, ora starting signal, signaling ineensv to announceythe' amaai lav signaling means to annoigince ita arrival and itc render the other car i. Y. e to cil' L; the afnioiniceincnt or 1 e ovm aiiival at ezfiicl peint.

in racing ccas the ccxnlz-inaticn with pair of tracks jgncviiing a coi'n'se nu which cars are adapt d to racc, o'l an ainiihle starting signal, a v i starting signal, nalingx means te announce tlc 'winning car,

means cont-rolledV by catapassingr along; one

.Stretch in the course to actuatc, the Starting signals, and means controllori by a. car im either track, upon its arrival ahead of a ccnipeting car at a given point in the course7 adapted to act-nate the lasst named Signaling means to announce its arrival and to rcnrlci' the other car inoperative to effect the announcement cf its own arri alzati said gmini.

in a` racing coaster, the cm'nhination with a pair of tracks pinviilingj a ccm-ac cn whici'eas are adapted to race,I of a n ling contrivanee having two alte'. mtive hut net simultaneous modes ci' operzrtien,

cara naesand, means, including electrical connectionsto corresponding stretches of the respective tracks, adapted to be actuated by the re epcctive cars to impart to the signalix'ig means its respective modes of operation, whereby the car irst arriving at the stretch ci track on which it travels Will. control the ip/eration oi' the signaling ccntrivance.

'Mln a racing coaster, the coxnhinaticni 'with a pair of tracks providing a coarsel on which ears are adapted to race, a starting l signal, a signal to announce the Winning,r caiglmcans controlled by a car passing along a limited stretchof one track to render the starting signal operative during the occupancy of such -Stretch oi' track by such car, 411 and incans controlled by a car arrivingF ahead` of' its competing car at a given stretch lof the course non-contiguous lwith the first named stretch, to actate the announcing signal to announce its arrival.

in testimony of which invention, I have hereunto set niv hand, at Philadelphia, on.

lhie 350th clay otOctober, 1913. i

LA. lilAlCUS A. THOMPSGN. llf'itnesses: l

M. M. ILtiiiLToN, E. F. Nenn 

